Welcome, Teachers!
The James Herman Banning website was designed with you in mind. We suggest that you subscribe to the website to receive new information, announcements of events as well as activities and lessons relating to history, social studies, science and geography.
Hints on using the website:
MEET BANNING: has a number of interesting questions designed to spark classroom discussions. As you run your cursor down the page, questions pop up on the right hand side. Also highlighted words indicate Hidden Clues. Click on the highlighted phrases and explore with your students the research that has helped us discover Banning’s life story. This backstory about the research is as interesting in many ways as the story itself.
BOOK: Click the book tab and the prologue to On Freedom’s Wings appears. This eBook also has Hidden Clues. Click on the highlighted phrases and explore with your students the research that has helped us discover Banning’s life story.
BLOG: Be sure to notice on the BLOG page, there are links for you and your students to visit museums all over the country. Informational and entertaining blogs will be posted to allow your students to learn in a fun and exciting way.
FACEBOOK: Follow Banning’s story on Facebook! Starting in September, your students will be able to FLY WITH BANNING as he makes his historic transcontinental flight across the United States. Be there as he struggles to find funding, repairs a fourteen-year-old engine for his beaten down Eaglerock biplane, and finally takes off for New York! Students will be immersed in the life and times of the Great Depression and the flight difficulties Banning faced: lack of funds, a patched-up old biplane and even older engine, bad weather, forced landings, crashes and tricky repairs. Eventually, they will join him in the thrill of accomplishment as Banning safely lands at Valley Stream, NY.
EXPERTS: Meet the experts who helped make Banning’s story come alive. Some are historians, some fly biplanes, and some love old fashion motorcycles. Visit there museums/websites, click on their videos and continue the journey of exploration.
AUTHORS: Don’t forget the Authors page – both Louisa and Pat have worked as ‘on the ground’ teachers and welcome your comments as well as questions! Go to the Contact page and send questions, thoughts, and suggestions.
SPROUTING WINGS: Questions and Activity Guide
Watch the new Black Wings video, produced by Smithsonian Channel:
